The night was semi-restful (progress!), so our launch into day five on the bikes was more of a gentle wobble than a heroic charge. Around 9 AM, under a blindingly blue sky, we roll out- and are immediately smacked with a 5 km climb. The reward: a stunning high plateau carved by a canyon that looks like nature got carried away with a bread knife.
We pedal 40 km across this plateau, gliding past goat and sheep herds. Wild horses even make a cameo in the distance, straight out of a postcard.
In Debring we stop for lunch. The kids of the dhaba owner decide helmets are the new fashion and give my harmonica a test run. For never having touched an instrument before, they’re shockingly good—and even take turns without a fight. On impulse, I hand them the harmonica as a parting gift. Their smiles could have powered the whole village. I figure I’ll grab a new one in Leh.
A little later, a young guy is strumming his guitar in front of his shop. Naturally, we can’t resist stopping again.
The climb to Taglang La is “only” 800 vertical meters, with a mellow gradient and smooth asphalt. But let me tell you: tired legs plus thin air makes every pedal stroke feel like I’m negotiating with gravity itself. I’m going so slow that even Himalayan hamsters are overtaking me. 😂 On the plus side, I actually spot an Edelweiss by the roadside - alpine legend, just right there blooming at 5,000 meters.
At the top, Georg is already waiting in a wind-sheltered corner. We do three laps around the little temple, snap the obligatory summit shots, then layer up for the glorious descent to Rumtse (still a lofty 4,100 m).
There, we grab two rooms in the first homestay. The owner, Sonam, is about Georg’s age, and with a mix of broken English and hand gestures, we piece together some insights into life here. He heats water over a wood fire for our bucket shower- pure bliss after five days of dust and sweat.
Dinner is a homemade Thali, with veggies straight from the garden.
Only 80 km left to Leh and all the big passes are behind us.
97 km, 1100 vertical meters.